Needletail/Main article
}} |pastaffie= }} }} }} }} |death= Killed by Darktail, Sleekwhisker, and Roach |age=Approx. 27 moons (2.3 years) at death |kit=''Unknown'' |apprentice=Needlepaw |rogue=Needlepaw, Needletail |ghost=Needletail |starclan resident=Needletail |mother=Berryheart |father=Sparrowtail |sister=Sunbeam |brothers=Hollowspring, Spireclaw |mentor=Tawnypelt |unofficial app =Violetshine |livebooks=''The Apprentice's Quest, ''Thunder and Shadow, Shattered Sky |deadbooks=''Darkest Night, ''River of Fire }} Needletail is a silver-gray she-cat with white chest fur and green eyes. Needletail was the eldest kit of Sparrowtail and Berryheart, and a former ShadowClan apprentice under Rowanstar's leadership in the lake territories who turned rogue to join Darktail's Kin. As an apprentice, Needlepaw joined Alderpaw's quest to find SkyClan, and the apprentices discovered two abandoned kits who they named Violetkit and Twigkit. After Violetkit was taken to join ShadowClan, Needlepaw befriended her, but being frustrated with Clan life and the warrior code, took Violetkit with her to join Darktail's group and renamed herself Needletail. However, when Violetpaw was discovered to be working against the Kin, Needletail sacrificed herself to save her. She appeared as a ghost and led Violetpaw to Tree before joining StarClan. History ''A Vision of Shadows :Needlepaw is the sole daughter of Berryheart and Sparrowtail, mentored by Tawnypelt, and is often showed to pay little respect towards Clan life. She meets the ThunderClan medicine cat apprentice, Alderpaw, and forcibly includes herself on his journey to the gorge. There they encounter Darktail; Needlepaw befriends him and his rogues, but flees from their camp when they are suspected of plotting with SkyClan. She and Alderpaw become separated from the rest of their patrol, but find two kits abandoned in a tunnel underneath a Thunderpath. They return to the lake, and at a Gathering, Needlepaw supports ShadowClan's claim to a kit, and Rowanstar chooses to take the kit Needlepw had named, Violetkit. :Initially, Needlepaw ignores Violetkit, but after being pressured by Alderpaw, the two become friends, and Needlepaw allows Violetkit to meet in secret with her sister, Twigkit. She aligns herself with Darktail when rebellion arises among the ShadowClan apprentices, leaving the Clan to join the rogues and taking Violetkit with her. Changing her name to Needletail, she unofficially mentors Violetpaw and is shocked when she returns to ShadowClan. However, Needletail convinces her to join the Kin after Darktail takes over ShadowClan. :After Darktail kills Rain and cats who attempt to flee his Kin, Needletail realizes her mistake. She allows Mothwing and Alderheart to recover herbs from their camp, causing her to be starved in the prisoners den. When Violetpaw is caught sneaking poppy seeds into Darktail's prey, Needletail is nearly drowned. Darktail tells her to earn her life by killing Violetpaw, but Needletail instead attacks him, Sleekwhisker, and Roach, allowing Violetpaw to escape. She is killed, but her spirit leads Violetpaw to Tree, a cat prophesied to help the Clans, before joining StarClan. Detailed description :Needletail is a short-furred, sleek, silver-gray she-cat with white chest fur. She has a long body, a thick tail, and bold green eyes. Trivia Interesting facts *In an earlier draft of the allegiances for The Apprentice's Quest, Needletail was originally the daughter of Stonewing and Wasptail along with Puddleshine, Beenose and Yarrowleaf. *She is one of the few single-litter kits in the series. Author statements *Kate has sympathy for Needletail, but she can't understand why she was so crabby. *Kate has said she wouldn't be surprised if Needletail named herself after Darktail. *Needlepaw is named after her. Mistakes *She is called a ShadowClan warrior twice, despite never earning the rank. *She is depicted without white chest fur on the cover of Shattered Sky.Revealed on the cover of Shattered Sky Character pixels Main images Alternate images Official art External links * * * * * * * * * * Notes and references Category:Main article pages